12 Minute Meditation

Being in pain makes being present extra challenging.

On a physical level, being in the present moment while our body is in pain is often extremely unpleasant. There is a part of us, understandably, that wishes we could escape from it entirely.

At the same time, the experience of pain itself can be overwhelming—to our senses, our thoughts, our emotions. It can feel like drowning, when what we long for is just a moment of peace to rest in.

In today's guided meditation, longtime meditation teacher and pain expert Vidyamala Burch offers a tender practice to find a middle way—one that doesn't lean into denial or give in to overwhelm, but rather allows all that is happening to be gently met, as Vidyamala says, with "wholeness, integration, and kindliness."

This meditation is part of our Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement series, where we're sharing guided practices from the women featured in our 2025 special edition of Mindful magazine.

If you'd like the transcription of this guided meditation, it will be online on Mindful.org next week.

Curious about the many benefits of being a member? Learn about our subscription tiers and join Mindful here.

Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter, where we share compelling insights and actionable ideas to enrich your everyday life. Connect with us at mindful.org/signup.

Show Notes

Find more from Vidyamala Burch here.

You can learn more about Vidyamala's story and how she came to be a leader in the mindfulness movement on Mindful.org, where we interviewed her for our 2025 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement feature.

And more from Mindful here:

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

What does it feel like to experience ourselves—in our own minds and bodies—as a reliable place we can come home to in order to feel grateful, calm, and resilient?

In this week's guided meditation, Melli O'Brien walks us through a practice we can return to in times of uncertainty or challenge to remind us of our own inner strength.

This meditation is part of our Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement series, where we're sharing guided practices from the women featured in our 2025 special edition of Mindful magazine.

If you'd like the transcription of this guided meditation, it will be online on Mindful.org next week.

Curious about the many benefits of being a member? Learn about our subscription tiers and join Mindful here.

Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter, where we share compelling insights and actionable ideas to enrich your everyday life. Connect with us at mindful.org/signup.

Show Notes

Find more from Melli O'Brien here.

You can learn more about Melli's story and her leadership in helping people develop robust mental strength on Mindful.org, where we interviewed her for our 2025 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement feature.

Get your copy of Melli's new book, Deep Resilience, here.

You can also sign up for a chance to win one of three signed copies of Melli's book during our giveaway. Just click here to learn more and add your name to the drawing.

And more from Mindful here:

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

Traditional meditation practices can sometimes be frustrating and alienating for those who are neurodivergent. Bodily discomfort or intense mental restlessness can make even the most mindfulness-curious person feel like classic meditation techniques might not be for them.

Sue Hutton believes that mindfulness can be for anyone, and she's dedicated her work to making mindfulness practices like meditation accessible for neurodiverse communities. In this practice, she guides us through what she calls "Dual Anchor," a kind of meditation that engages the senses to help gently steer attention.

This meditation is part of our Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement series, where we're sharing guided practices from the women featured in our 2025 special edition of Mindful magazine.

If you'd like the transcription of this guided meditation, it will be online on Mindful.org next week.

Curious about the many benefits of being a member? Learn about our subscription tiers and join Mindful here.

Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter, where we share compelling insights and actionable ideas to enrich your everyday life. Connect with us at mindful.org/signup.

Show Notes

Find more from Sue Hutton here.

You can learn more about Sue's neurodiversity-informed approach to mindfulness on Mindful.org, where we interviewed her for our 2025 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement feature.

And more from Mindful here:

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

When we're wrestling with experiences that challenge our identities or our confidence—like failures at work, relationship struggles, or letting go of old belief systems — it can be tempting to reach for positive self-talk that pushes back against the difficult feelings we might be having.

In today's guided practice, Caverly Morgan offers something much sturdier, what she calls unconditional reassurances.

In this practice, we're not just saying the opposite of what we're feeling, hoping that it will be true. Rather, it's about anchoring into a deep-down sense of worthiness and compassion that's always present, regardless of how well things are going for us or how great we feel about ourselves in any given moment.

This meditation is part of our Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement series, where we're sharing guided practices from the women featured in our 2025 special edition of Mindful magazine.

If you'd like the transcription of this guided meditation, it will be online on Mindful.org next week.

Curious about the many benefits of being a member? Learn about our subscription tiers and join Mindful here.

Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter, where we share compelling insights and actionable ideas to enrich your everyday life. Connect with us at mindful.org/signup.

Show Notes

Find more from Caverly Morgan here.

You can learn more about unconditional reassurances on Mindful.org, where we interviewed Caverly for our 2025 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement feature.

And more from Mindful here:

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

In recent years, mental health professionals have raised the alarm about the growing epidemic of loneliness. Millions of people feel separated and isolated, even when they are surrounded by colleagues or thousands of social media acquaintances.

In today's guided practice, Shelly Harrell offers one mindful approach that can counteract this sense of lonely atomization. It is the South African greeting of Sawubona, which carries an intentional willingness to see and to be seen, in our fullness, vulnerability, mutual belonging, and radiance.

This meditation is part of our Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement series, where we will be sharing guided practices from the women featured in our 2025 special edition of Mindful magazine.

If you'd like the transcription of this guided meditation, it will be online on Mindful.org next week.

Curious about the many benefits of being a member? Learn about our new subscription tiers and join Mindful here.

Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter, where we share compelling insights and actionable ideas to enrich your everyday life. Connect with us at mindful.org/signup.

Show Notes

Find more from Shelly Harrell here:

• The Soulfulness Center
• You can read Dr. Harrell's story on Mindful.org, where we interviewed her for our 2025 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement feature.

And more from Mindful here:

• More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

When we are adrift in the wide sea of grief, it can be difficult to imagine any world other than the world of our intense sorrow and loss. In this guided meditation, Brenda K. Mitchell offers one tiny heart-opening invitation: simply allowing what she calls "the possibility of possible." There isn't an expectation that you have answers, or lots of hope, or a clear path forward. Rather, this is a tender way to be with the many difficult emotions that accompany losses in our lives, while opening the door just a bit to what might lie ahead.

Brenda K. Mitchell is a pastor, mindfulness teacher, and advocate for survivors of gun violence. She lost her son Kenneth to gun violence in 2005, when he was just 31 years old. After discovering how mindfulness could help her be with and heal her own grief, she started bringing mindful practices to other people who have experienced trauma and loss as a result of gun violence.

This meditation marks the beginning of our Women of Mindfulness series, where we will be sharing guided practices from the women featured in our 2025 special edition of Mindful magazine.

If you'd like the transcription of this guided meditation, it will be online on Mindful.org next week.

Curious about the many benefits of being a member? Learn about our new subscription tiers and join Mindful here.

Want a chance to WIN a free year of Mindful Premium? Simply visit: https://signups.mindful.org/win-premium/ and enter your email today.

Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter, where we share compelling insights and actionable ideas to enrich your everyday life. Connect with us at mindful.org/signup.

Show Notes

Find more from Brenda Mitchell here:

Read Brenda's story

Learn how Brenda and others are using mindfulness to heal from the trauma of gun violence on Mindful.org

And more from Mindful here:

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

In a world filled with challenges and distractions, we often find ourselves repeating automatic reactions that once helped us survive but now hold us back. Mindful journaling offers a lifeline—allowing us to slow down, listen inwardly, and meet ourselves with compassion.

Today, we're refreshing a powerful journaling practice guided by Caverly Morgan, focused on letting go of limiting habits. With gentle prompts, Caverly invites us to explore inherited survival strategies, understand deeper needs beneath them, and nurture true belonging within ourselves.

If you'd like more from Caverly, join us for an experiential practice collective based on Caverly Morgan's transformational, practical and timely book, The Heart of Who We Are: Realizing Freedom Together.

This interactive and experiential course will support you to connect your personal meditation practice to community practice, and to true and meaningful change. True change occurs when we not only understand who we truly are but also act in the world from this understanding.

Learn more and sign up here!

Want a chance to WIN a free year of Mindful Premium? Simply visit: https://signups.mindful.org/win-premium/ and enter your email today.

Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter, where we share compelling insights and actionable ideas to enrich your everyday life. Connect with us at mindful.org/signup.

Show Notes

Find more from Caverly Morgan here:

Caverly Morgan on Mindful.org

Caverly Morgan's Website

And more from Mindful here:

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

In a world that constantly pulls us in different directions—from productivity and external validation to endless distractions—coming home to ourselves is one of the most powerful things we can do. True resilience isn't about pushing through; it's about creating an inner refuge, a place of strength and safety that stays steady no matter what's happening around us.

That's why we're bringing back Coming Home to Yourself, a meditation guided by Georgina Miranda. This meditation invites you to pause, reflect, and reconnect with your inner strength. Georgina reminds us that while mindfulness can be a refuge in difficult times, its real power comes from regular practice. This meditation is an opportunity to reset, find stability, and ground yourself in the present moment.

We're also excited to share that Georgina has a new course with us: Reset and Let Go: The Freedom to Live Fully. This transformative journey will help you release what no longer serves you, reset your mindset, and step into a life of greater clarity and joy. Through guided exercises, journaling prompts, and mindfulness practices, you'll learn practical tools to support real, lasting change.

Learn more and sign up here

Want a chance to WIN a free year of Mindful Premium? Simply visit: https://signups.mindful.org/win-premium/ and enter your email today.

Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter, where we share compelling insights and actionable ideas to enrich your everyday life. Connect with us at mindful.org/signup.

Show Notes

Find more from Georgina Miranda here:

Georgina Miranda on Mindful.org

Georgina Miranda's Website

And more from Mindful here:

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

The invitation with this practice is to put aside ideas and concepts about differences, shame, fear, survival, and to simply see if you can begin to develop a felt sense of common humanity—that all of us wish for happiness and freedom from suffering.

Steven Hickman is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. He is executive director of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and the Founding Director of the UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness, a program of community building, clinical care, professional training, and research. Also author of Self-Compassion for Dummies.

We're also celebrating the revival of Mindful Magazine with a special giveaway for our podcast listeners. Mindful Premium gives you a full year of access to the print magazine, plus our complete digital library of articles, meditations, courses, and more.

Want a chance to WIN a free year of Mindful Premium? Simply visit: https://signups.mindful.org/win-premium/ and enter your email today.

This giveaway is our way of saying thank you for being part of our amazing community. We can't wait for you to explore everything Mindful Premium has to offer!

Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter, where we share compelling insights and actionable ideas to enrich your everyday life. Connect with us at mindful.org/signup.

Show Notes

Find more from Steve Hickman here:

Steve Hickman on Mindful.org

Steve Hickman's website

Self-Compassion for Dummies

And more from Mindful here:

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

In today's interconnected yet paradoxically divided world, the path to understanding each other requires more than just good intentions. To truly connect and heal, we need something more: the cultivation of a deeper understanding. The path forward isn't about eliminating differences—it's about building bridges of understanding across them.

In this gentle yet powerful meditation with Shalini Bahl, we experience how we are all shaped by our experiences, fears, and hopes. Deep understanding is like diving below the illuminated surface to deeper waters. By understanding both what floats on the surface and what lies in the depths, we can begin to shift our habitual patterns and make choices that arise from genuine wisdom rather than reactive impulses.

We're also celebrating the revival of Mindful Magazine with a special giveaway for our podcast listeners. Mindful Premium gives you a full year of access to the print magazine, plus our complete digital library of articles, meditations, courses, and more.

Want a chance to WIN a free year of Mindful Premium? Simply visit: https://signups.mindful.org/win-premium/ and enter your email today.

This giveaway is our way of saying thank you for being part of our amazing community. We can't wait for you to explore everything Mindful Premium has to offer!

Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter, where we share compelling insights and actionable ideas to enrich your everyday life. Connect with us at mindful.org/signup.

Show Notes

Find more from Shalini Bahl here:

Shalini Bahl on Mindful.org

Know Your Mind

The Book: Return to Mindfulness

And more from Mindful here:

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].